Search - The Wickford Express :: Away, You Santy!: Traditional Sea Songs And Chanteys

An outstanding treatment. O'Brian fans will love it.

06/28/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The album is a wonderfully lively treatment of classic sea chanties-- no stodginess turning cheerful songs into monotone dirges on this CD. The light and skillful accompaniment is perfect for the hearty New England voices of Wickford Express, and the selections cover a wide range of styles. Especially appealing to me were the renditions of Spanish Ladies (for American sailors!), the medley of hornpipes, and the treatments of O'Carolan's 'Si Bheg Si Mhor' and 'Lord Inchiquin', which are performed with both style and enthusiasm. In addition to those standards, the CD includes some true 'chanties', sung with obvious appreciation for the wit inherent in the lyrics. All in all, an outstanding recording that will turn your car into a tall ship, and your commute into a voyage to cross the Line."

If you like Dylan & Roger McGuinn...

David M. Ross | Garland, TX United States | 12/22/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I would have given this CD 5 stars, except 1) I'm not a folk music guru; and 2) I felt that the audio quality was slightly lacking. Elaborating on the first aspect, I found "Away, You Santy!" beautiful having considerable appreciation for the folkish music of Dylan, Roger McGuinn, Grateful Dead, James Taylor and other 60's artists. Many of the tracks were recorded without instrumental accompaniment, but this adds to, rather than subtracts from, those performances. Don't be put off by my comment about the audio; this was from the perspective of someone who likes some spatial effects in recordings. If your audio system can add some reverb, and you want it, you can add the spatial dimensions. If you prefer the unenhanced sound as on the CD, you won't have to hear the spatiality the engineers could have added. This CD, esthetically, is superb."